Number of nouns

Number of nouns is another elementary topic of English
grammar much disregarded in the EFL teaching. Teachers shouldn't confine
themselves to saying that the plural number is formed by adding the -s
inflexion to the singular form. In fact number of nouns constitutes a vast
problem embracing such notions as policemy, transition of meaning, use of
determiners, agreement between the subject-noun and the predicate-verb.

Number shows the difference between one and more than one. If
one thing ("thing" in a wide sense of the word) is meant, we use the
singular number, if more than one — we use the plural number. It is wrong to
say that the plural expresses number, it does not, it signals the meaning of
"not one."

More attention should be given to the formation of the
plural number of nouns since it is far more difficult a problem than we think
and it should be treated accordingly.

The plural number isformed with the help of the ending -s
or -es.

bees dogs looks watches

days pencils maps boxes

flowers spoons seats wishes

In the following fourteen nouns the final -f is changed into
-v and -es is added:

calf knife loaf shelf wharf

elf life seat thief
wolf

half leaf self wife

E.g. calves, elves, halves.

All the others have -fs: proofs, cliffs, gulfs.

Some nouns may have either -ves or -fs in the plural number:
scarf, dwarf, hoof.

If a noun ends in -o, -es is added in the plural number:
tomatoes, potatoes, vetoes. Only -s is added if a noun ends in a vowel + o:
bamboos, studios, zoos; in proper names: Romeos, Eskimos, Philipinos; in
abbreviations: kilos, photos, pros (professionals); also: stereos, discos,
videos, pianos, solos. Some other nouns take -s or -es: cargo, banjo, halo.

If a noun ends in -y, it is changed into -i- and -es is
added: armies, duties, stories. If a vowel precedes -y, just -s is added: boys,
keys, plays.

Some old English plural forms are still used:

man — men goose — geese
child — children

woman — women louse — lice ox —
oxen

foot — feet mouse — mice
brother — brethren

tooth — teeth

Some English nouns keep foreign plurals, sometimes English
and foreign plurals are used side by side:

alumna — alumnae

alumnus — alumni

formula — formulae, formulas

index — indices, indexes

crisis — crises

criterion — criteria

phenomenon — phenomena

datum — data

nucleus — nuclei

syllabus — syllabi, syllabuses

Compound nouns have three ways of spelling: two components
are separated by a hyphen, written in one word or written separately. To form
the plural of compound words spelled with a hyphen -s is added to the principal
word:

daughters-in-law passersby

editors-in-chief girlfriends

lookers-on watchmakers

When compound singular nouns are spelled as one solid word,
they are pluralized by adding -s to the last word:

airships bookcases

baseballs bywords

beefsteaks churchgoers

The plural of compound words with vowel-changing words in
them will be:

airmen

mailmen

womendoctors

Compound nouns consisting of two separate components add -s
for the plural number to the last component:

apple trees ocean liners

bank books post officers

car fares water jackets

leaf buds wind gauges

Note even: trouser pockets, pyjama jacket.

Proper names form their plurals by adding -s or -es: Adams,
Georges, Henries, Dickenses. When a proper name is accompanied by a title,
either the proper name or the title may be made plural:

Doctor Hills Mrs Thomases

Doctors Hill Mesdames Thomas

Letters, numerals and symbols are preferably pluralized by
the addition of's:

three r's and four s's

my four's and five's

your etc.'s and i.e.'s

all M.P.'s

Some nouns have the same form for the singular and for the
plural: cod, deer, grouse, sheep, trout, quail, aircraft;

dozen (twelve), score (twenty), stone (6,35 kg);

means, series, species, works, barracks, headquarters.

Some nouns have two plurals, each plural form differs in
meaning from the other:

colour — öâåò

colours — öâåòà

colours — ôëàã

cloth — òêàíü; ëîñêóò

cloths — êóñêè ìàòåðèè

clothes — ïëàòüå, îäåæäà

custom — îáû÷àé

customs — îáû÷àè

customs — òàìîæåííûå ïîøëèíû

die — øòàìï, ìàòðèöà; èãðàëüíàÿ êîñòü

dies — øòàìïû, ìàòðèöû

dice — èãðàëüíûå êîñòè/ ÀÅ èãðàëüíàÿ êîñòü

genius — äóõ, ãåíèàëüíàÿ ëè÷íîñòü

geniuses — ãåíèàëüíûå ëè÷íîñòè

genii — ãåíèè, äóõè

penny — ïåííè

pennies — ìîíåòû

ðånñå — ñóììà â íåñêîëüêî ïåííè

The irregularities of the formation of the plural number of
English nouns are ridiculed in the following poem by an unknown author.

Nouns that can be either singular or plural are called
countable. Some nouns can't be used in the singular and in the plural, they are
called uncountable. There are uncountable nouns used only in the singular and
uncountable nouns used only in the plural.

COUNTABLE NOUNS: UNCOUNTABLE
NOUNS:

have singular and plural forms have
only one form

take verbs in the singular or in take
verbs only in the singular/

the plural only
in the plural

can have "a," "an," or "one" cannot
have "a," "an," or "one"

before them before
them

can have "few," "many" as can
have "little," "much" before

modifiers them
as modifiers

can be modified by a numeral —

can be substituted by "one" —

can have "some" before them can
have "some" before them

only in the plural

can have "number of" before can
have "amount of " before them

them only in the plural

Certain kinds of nouns are usually countable.

1. Names of persons, animals, plants, insects, and the like,
and their parts:

Persons Animals Plants Insects Parts

a boy a cat a cactus an ant an
ankle

a girl a dog a bush a butterfly a
bone

a man a horse a flower a caterpillar a
face

a student a mouse an oak a fly a
head

a teacher a tiger a potato a mite a
nose

a wife a wolf a rose a tick an
ear

a woman a zebra a tree a wasp a
wing

2. Objects with a definite shape:

a ball a mountain

a building a street

a car a tent

a door a typewriter

a house an umbrella

3. Units of measurement (for length, area, weight, volume,
temperature, pressure, speed and so on) and words of classification (often used
as measurement and classification with uncountable nouns):

a basket a drop

a gram a degree

an inch a kind

a foot a type

a meter a piece

a pound a bit

a square foot, meter an item

a cubic inch, centimetre a part

4. Classifications in society:

a family a country a language

a clan a state a word

a tribe a city a phrase

5. Some abstract nouns:

a help a plan

a hindrance a rest

an idea a scheme

an invention a taboo

a nuisance

Certain kinds of nouns are uncountable.

1. Names of substances and materials:

Food Materials

bread copper

cake cotton

chocolate concrete

meat grass

spaghetti iron

spinach steel

butter wood

cheese wool

2. Names of liquids, gases, and substances made of
many small particles:

4. Most nouns ending in -ing. Exceptions include
"building," "feeling," "dealing,"
"wedding" and "helping" when it means a portion of food;
"a saving" is economy, but "savings" is an amount of money;

"furnishings" is always plural.

camping parking

clothing shopping

dancing smoking

hiking studying

learning trying

lightning waiting

5. Many abstract nouns including those ending in -ness,
-ance, -ence, -ity:

beauty peace

equality plenty

happiness sanity

ignorance serenity

importance selfishness

obsolescence verbosity

6. Names of branches of human learning ending in -ics:

acoustics politics

linguistics

mathematics physics

phonetics statistics

Another group of uncountable nouns occurs only in the plural
form. They can take the definite article or no article at all in front of them;
no numerals can be used with them. Here is a list of common plural nouns:

archives particulars

congratulations proceeds

contents remains

goods surroundings

odds thanks

outskirts whereabouts

Some plural nouns refer to items of clothing and other
objects consisting of two parts:

braces binoculars

breeches glasses

jeans pincers

knickers pliers

leggins scales

pants scissors

pyjamas shears

shorts spectacles

tights tongs

trousers tweezers

"A pair of is used to show that one item is meant.

Many nouns are countable (C) in one meaning and are
uncountable (U) in another.

paper n 1 U substance manufactured from wood fibre, etc.

2 Ñ newspaper

3 U ~ money, banknotes

4 pi documents showing who sb is

5 Ñ set of printed examination questions on a given subject

6 Ñ essay, esp one to be read to a learned society

room n 1 Ñ part of
a house or a building enclosed by walls or partitions, floor, ceiling

2 pi apartments

3 U space that is or might be occupied

4 U scope, opportunity

language n 1 U human and noninstinctive
method of communicating ideas

2 Ñ form of ~ used by a people

3 U manner of using words

4 U words, phrases, etc. used by a profession

Of special interest in the EFL teaching should be those
English uncountable nouns whose Russian equivalents have a different reference
to number since students' errors can be predicted each time they will be used.

English uncountable singular Russian uncountable plural

applause àïëîäèñìåíòû

cash íàëè÷íûå

cutlery ðåæóùèå
ñòîëîâûå ïðåäìåòû

hair âîëîñû

money äåíüãè

English uncountable singular Russian countable

advice ñîâåò, -û

gossip ñïëåòíÿ, -è

jewellery äðàãîöåííîå
óêðàøåíèå, -ÿ

knowledge çíàíèå, -ÿ

research èññëåäîâàíèå, ÿ

work ðàáîòà,-û

English uncountable plural Russian countable

archives àðõèâ,
-û

congratulations
ïîçäðàâëåíèå, -ÿ

goods òîâàð,
-û

outskirts îêðàèíà,
-û

proceeds âûðó÷êà,
-è

pyjamas ïèæàìà, -û

remains îñòàòîê,
-è

Nouns can be converted from uncountable to countable, and
vice versa

The uncountable form always has a more generalized meaning,
whereas the countable form has a more specified meaning Changing uncountable
nouns into countable form usually requires some kind of container or package or
unit measure: water → a glass of water, advice → a piece of advice,
Life is hard → He had a hard life. On the other hand, changing countable
nouns into uncountable forms usually requires changing them into a more
abstract or generalized form: a chair → furniture, a book →
literature, printed matter, a fact →-> knowledge, data

Many nouns meaning materials can become countable nouns when
they are used to refer to an amount of something in a container:

a coffee, a beer, a whisky

beer rum

brandy sherry

coffee sugar

Coke vodka

gin whisky

lager yoghurt

Some of these words are used in restaurants and cafes but
not in people's homes. For example, you might ask for "two teas" in a
cafe, but someone in their own home would probably say, "Would you like
some tea:" or "Would you like a cup of tea:" rather than Would
you like à tea? "

Uncountable nouns can also be converted into countable nouns
when "a type of" or "a variety of is meant

a local cheese, a very fine jam

beer metal

brandy paint

cheese perfume

coffee sauce

detergent soup

jam tea

lager whisky

meat wine

medicine wood

To express measure of the substance expressed by an
uncountable noun the following is used:

a piece of cake

a slice of bread, cake, meat

a loaf of bread

a bar of chocolate

a lump of sugar

a carton of milk

a tin of lemonade

a tube of toothpaste

a bottle of milk

a jar of jam

a grain of rice, barley, wheat

a pinch of salt

a piece/stick of chalk

five pounds of sugar

a blade of grass

a bag of flour

a packet of tea, sugar

a spoonful of sugar, flour, etc.

an amount of leasure

a stroke of luck

a fit of temper

a means of transport

an item of news

a sheet of paper

a yard of cloth

a state of health, disorder, uncertainty

Proper nouns being uncountable by nature can convert into
countable nouns and be used in the plural number. There are a number of
predictable ways in which proper nouns are used as countable.

1. When we want to suggest that someone or something is
similar to someone or something famous:

All his children are Einsteins.

2. When we are talking about a copy or instance of
something, especially a newspaper or magazine:

He bought a Times.

3. When we are referring to a product or work by someone:

The trip had taken two days in the shining new Ford.

Would you recognize a Renoir?

Sometimes a trademark for a product is used for all products
of the same kind. For example, many people would call any vacuum cleaner a
"Hoover," though "Hoover" is a trademark of one particular
make.

4. When you want to talk about one branch of a shop or
business:

They are making room for the new Woolworth's.

5. When you want to pick out a particular version of
something:

This isn't the London I used to know.

6. Proper names are used in the plural to express several or
all members of the same family:

The Browns were all present.

Collective nouns are quite special in their reference to number.
They express groups of people or animals. Most collective nouns have both
singular and plural forms: family — families. The plural form always takes a
plural verb. But the singular form may take a singular or a plural verb. The
singular verb shows that the noun is acting as a unit, the plural verb shows
that the members of the group are acting separately:

The family is large. The family are all at home.

Most common collective nouns are:

army company majority

audience council minority

band crew orchestra

cast crowd population

choir enemy press (= newspapers)

chorus family school

class firm staff

club gang team

college government union

committee group university

community management

Also: the ÂÂÑ, the Congress, England (= the English team),
Harrod's, the United Nations, The United States, the Vatican, the Kremlin.

The following collective nouns also called nouns of
multitude are used with the plural verb only: cattle, clergy, gentry, people,
police, poultry, vermin, youth. Reference to individual members of the group is
made thus: twenty people, fifty police or fifty policemen, ten head of cattle.

Some nouns expressing animals, birds and fish keep the
singular form in a collective plural meaning:

EFL teachers should teach their students to differentiate
between nouns with -s at the end. -S marks the plural number in countable nouns
and nouns used in the plural and may be part of the stem of the noun (which in
some cases developed from the former plural number) that may be a marker of the
plural number or not.

On other hand, the absence of -s at the end of the word is
not necessarily a marker of the singular number.

One other problem in connection with number of nouns should
be given considerable attention to in the teaching process. This is concord or
agreement between forms of the subject-noun and the predicate-verb. The general
rule is well-known: the subject-noun in the singular requires the
predicate-verb in the singular and the subject-noun in the plural requires the
predicate-verb in the plural if the verb form admits of the expression of the
singular and the plural. In other words, if the subject is a singular proper
name, a singular common noun, a mass noun, or a third person singular pronoun
the third person singular inflection is used with the predicate-verb in the
present tense or the form "was" is used for the past tense if the
verb "to be" is required by the sense. No inflection is used in the
present tense and the form "were" in the past (if it is required by
the sense) with subjects proper or common plural nouns, or plural pronouns. However,
there are many special and difficult cases concerning this rule.

1. Collective nouns can take either a singular or plural
inflection depending upon the meaning:

government has

have

crowd it, they

committee itself its
which was

themselves their
who were

2. Special care should be taken when the learners deal with
nouns ending in -s, since, as is known, they can be considered to be either
singular or plural:

No news is good news.

The scissors are on the table.

3. "A number of N" takes the plural, but "the
number of N" takes the singular.

4. Fractions and percentage take the singular verb when they
modify an uncountable noun and the plural when they modify a countable noun;
either a singular or plural verb may be used when they modify a collective noun:

Thirty per cent of water is wasted nowadays.

Thirty per cent of books were sold out.

Thirty per cent of population was/were present.

5. Plural unit words of distance, money, time, etc., take
the singular:

distance: Two kilometres is a long distance.

money: Two hundred pounds is to be paid for it.

time: Three years is a long time to do it.

6. Arithmetic operations take the singular:

One plus one is two. Four minus one is three. Two times
three is six. Twelve divided by two is six.

Problems may arise when the subject is expressed by a
noun-phrase:

Either my friend or my relatives are going to see me soon.

Neither my relatives nor my friend is going to see me soon.

The proximity principle works here: the predicate agrees in
number with the closest part of the subject. The same rule is applied in
"there is/are" structures.

There is a book and two notebooks on the table.

There are two notebooks and a book

The principle of non-intervention is observed when the
subject is a prepositional phrase including "together with,"
"along with," "as well as," etc.

Nick, together with his friends, is going for a trip.

The subject predicative agreement is problematic in certain
types of relative clauses.

She is one of those people who never ceases to work hard.

Practice Activities

TPR Activities

A Monster

1. Make a monster.

2. Pick up the orange crayon.

3. Draw three eyes.

4. Put the orange crayon down.

5. Pick up the blue crayon.

6. Draw four mouths.

7. Put the blue crayon down.

8. Pick up the purple crayon.

9. Draw eight legs.

10. Put the purple crayon down.

11. Pick up the green crayon.

12. Draw three noses.

13. Look at the scary monster.

Lunch

(Use relevant pictures of: a plate, two hot dogs,

three cherries, three French fries)

1. I'm hungry.

2. I want some lunch.

3. Pick up a hot dog.

4. Pick up another hot dog.

5. Put the hot dogs on the plate.

6. Pick up the cherries.

7. Put the cherries on the plate.

8. Put up two French fries/chips.

9. Put the French fries on the plate.

10. Pick up another French fry.

11. Put it on the plate.

12. That is a funny lunch!

The Dice Game

(Use a dice, a piece of chalk)

1. Pick up the dice.

2. Throw the dice.

3. What did you get?

4. Pick up the chalk.

5. Write the number on the board.

6. Put the chalk down.

7. Pick up the dice.

8. Throw the dice.

9. What did you get?

10. Are you sure?

11. Count it again.

12. Pick up the chalk.

13. Write the number on the board.

14. Put the chalk down.

15. Ask a friend to play with you.

Complete these paragraphs from a geography book. Put the
words in brackets into the plural.

This small country is mostly farmland. The (animal) seen
most often are (cow) and (sheep). Most (farm) have a few (goose), too. There
are (donkey), but not many (horse). There's a lot of wheat and (potato), and
there are (tomato) on the south side of the hills. In summer the (man), (woman)
and (child) work together in the (field) seven (day) a week. The (person) work
hard all their (life).

The only two (factory) in the country are in the capital.
One makes (toy) and (game), and the other makes (knife) and (fork). All these
(thing) are for export.

The east of the country is thick forest, the home of wild
(pony), (deer) and (wolf).

(Photo) of the (cliff) along the coast show how beautiful
the country is. But not many (tourist) visit it because the airport is too
small for most (aircraft).

In the following sentences the underlined nouns can be
countable or uncountable depending on the meaning. Decide which meaning is
being used in each sentence, and cross out the incorrect noun group. The first
one has been done for you.

In the expressions below decide if you can cross out the two
middle words and in this way convert an uncountable noun to a countable noun. If
you can, write "yes." If you cannot, write "no." The first
one has been done for you.

Say whether these sentences need "a(n)" or not. Use
the dictionary to check whether the nouns are uncountable.

1. He gave us all ... advice on what to take with us.

2. I'm sorry. I can't come. I have ... homework to do.

3. She's doing ... investigation of teenage slang in English
for her university project.

4. You'll need ... rice if you want to make a Chinese meal.

5. Paula getting divorced? That's ... interesting news!

6. I have to by ... film for the holiday. I think I'll get
about five rolls.

7. We saw ... beautiful silk and ... cotton on Thailand.

Key: 1 -; 2 -; 3 an; 4 -; 5 -; 6 -; 7 -; -.

Imagine you are going away for a week's holiday and you pack
a suitcase with a number of things. Make a list of what you would pack.

Suggestions: soap, a tube of toothpaste, a box of make-up,
some writing paper, film, medicine.

Solve a Word Puzzle. The purpose of the game is to learn
spelling and pronunciation of school subjects. You have to make copies of the
word puzzle for a group of students. Put them in envelopes and distribute
puzzles to each team. The team that will make the puzzle first wins.

Fill in the gaps in the sentences below. Use
"some," "any" or "no."

0. I'm really thirsty. I'd like some water, please.

1.1 went to the library today, but I couldn't find ...
interesting books. They all looked very boring.

2. A: What would you like to eat? Eggs? Toast? Fruit?

B: Could you give me ... toast, please?

3.1 bought ... coffee this morning, but it's too strong for
me.

4. A: Would you like something to read?

B: Yes. Could you give me ... magazines, please?

5. A: I've invited some friends for a party tonight, but
I've got ... music.

B: Don't worry. I'll bring ... cassettes this afternoon.

6. Could you go to the shop, please? We haven't got ...
milk.

7. A: Can you tell me what's happening at the airport?

B: Yes. I'm sorry, but there are ... flights today.

8. I'm going to the shop. I'm going to buy ... bread.

9. A: Would you like to go to the cinema this evening? B:
Yes, but I haven't got ... money.

10. A: I've got bananas, apples and pears. What would you
like? B: It doesn't matter. I like ... fruit.

The same may be practised with nouns ending in -ics:
phonetics, politics, statistics, linguistics, acoustics, physics.

Read the story about the Ancient Egyptians.

Do you know these facts about them? Cross out the wrong
words.

We have found a lot of interesting information/mfermations
about life in Ancient Egypt.

Most Egyptian children went to school when they were eight. There
was sport for the boys only, which wasn't a/much fun for the girls. The
teachers were very strict, but the Egyptians liked

I musics/music and most children learned to play an
instrument.

Egyptian houses didn't have as 2 much/many furniture as our
houses. The furniture 3 was/were usually made of 4 —/a wood, but rich people
had furniture decorated with 5 an/— ivory or gold.

Their clothes were made of linen but in winter some people
wore 6 a/— wool. Because of the heat, most people wore their 7 hair/hairs
short. Rich people sometimes wore wigs.

Women wore 8 —/a beautiful jewellery. Egypt had gold mines,
so 9 a lot of/many jewellery was made of 10 —/a gold. All men and women,
whether rich or poor, wore make-up and perfume. They got milk and

11 meat/meats from goats, and they ate a lot of 12
fish/fishes. They sweetened their 13 food/foods with honey. They baked their 14
bread/breads in mud-brick ovens. They also ate 15 a lot of/many fruit.

Say if the sentences are true or false. Correct the false
ones. The Ancient Egyptians had a lot of furniture in their houses. False. They
didn 't have much furniture in their houses. They didn't wear their hair long. True.

1. We haven't found much information about life in Ancient
Egypt.

2. Not much Egyptian jewellery was made of gold.

3. They didn't eat much fruit.

4. They ate a lot of fish.

5. The men wore make-up and perfume.

6. The children had a lot of fun at school.

Key: 1. False. We've found a lot of interesting information
about life in Ancient Egypt.

2. False. A lot of Egyptian jewellery was made of gold.

3. False. They ate a lot of fruit.

4. True.

5. True.

6. False. They didn't have much fun at school.

Work with a partner. Ask and answer four questions about the
Ancient Egyptians. Ask about their furniture, their clothes, their jewellery,
their hair or their food.

You: Did the Ancient Egyptians wear their hair long?

Partner: No, they wore their hair short.

Find the mystery word

Which words are uncountable?

Ring the uncountable words and fit them into the puzzle
(across) in order to find the mystery word (down).

suitcase gold furniture

coin fact money

progress luggage story

music
news fun

answer
chair knowledge

week sandwich song

Key:

The mystery word is: ... The
mystery word is: information.

Choose the correct word:

Do you know when women first started wearing l.a/—-
trousers? The first woman to wear 2 —/a trousers was the French actress Sarah
Bernhardt. She shocked everyone when she wore 3 a pair of/a men's trousers in
1876. She was brave enough to wear 4 it/them in public. Trousers for women 5
was/were not acceptable. It was another forty years before women dared to wear
their 6 hair/hairs very short. But Anette Kellerman was even braver than Sarah
Bernhardt. Men and women used to wear swimsuits that looked like 7 —/a pyjamas,
with long sleeves and long legs. In 1909 Annette wore the first swimsuit with
short sleeves and she wore 8 a/— shorts ending above the knees. But the police
came and 9 it/they arrested her!

Key: 1 —; 2 —; 3 a pair of; 4 them; 5 were; 6 hair; 7 —; 8
—; 9 they.

Jane and Amanda are shopping. Decide if the words in
brackets should be singular or plural and cross out the wrong word.

Uncountable nouns are used to describe personal qualities
and skills Choose from the list and say what qualities these people should have
Say. whether they need "some," "a lot" or "a bit"
of the quality Use a dictionary for any difficult words.

Jill: Yes, the jeans 5 looks/look good on you. I like the
style. They really 6 suits/suit you.

Key: 1 feel; 2 go; 3 is; 4 fit; 5 look; 6 suit.

Organize a role play called "Shopping " Review
names of common shop goods, names of shops selling them, names of amounts (half
a kilo, etc ), names of packaging (a packet, a Jar, etc ), difference between
number and amount (much/many), the English/Russian monetary systems, polite
requests for goods, the question "How much/many?"

It is assumed that the students know numbers, greetings,
partings, "please," "thank you," "here you are,"
"What's this called in English?", "Can you show …?"

You will need pictures or realia of common shop goods, price
tags, real or toy money, pictures of the shops to be mentioned, role play
cards. You will also need several dialogues on tape or read out loud for
listening comprehension as examples of possible conversations.

S1: Hello, I'd like a pound of apples.

S2: Here you are, anything else?

S1: No, thank you.

S2: 40p, please.

S1: Here you are.

S2: Thank you, goodbye.

Sl: Goodbye.

S3: Hello, can I help you?

S4: I'd like tea.

S3: How much tea?

S4: A pound.

S3: This tea or that tea?

S4: This tea.

S3: Here you are Anything else?

S4: A pound of coffee.

S3: Here you are Anything else?

S4: No, thank you How much is that?

S3: 3,50.

S4: Here you are Goodbye .

S3: Thank you Goodbye.

Ò: Which shop will we go now?

S: The greengrocer's .

Ò: What do you want to buy?

S: I'd like a pound of tomatoes.

The students work in pairs. Each pair is given a card like
the following:

Go into the grocer's and buy three things.

Begin:

A: Good morning, can I help you?

Â: I'd like …

Continue the dialogue.

When the dialogues have been completed, each pair practises
their dialogue orally, accompanying their conversation with the handling of
appropriate goods and money.

If a suitable tape is available, it can now be used for
listening comprehension to give the better students some ideas of how they can
expand the situation.

A: Good morning, Mrs MacDonald.

Â: Good morning.

A: Lovely day, isn't it?

Â: Yes, very warm for April.

A: What can I do for you today?

Â: I'd like half a dozen eggs, some bacon …

A: Er Danish or English?

Â: Danish, I think About a pound, please, and some
strawberry jam.

A: Here you are, anything else?

Â: No, thanks, that's all.

A: That'll be 2, 11.

Â: The price of things! Here you are.

A: Thank you, and here's your change.

Â: Goodbye.

A: Goodbye, Mrs MacDonald.

Expanded versions of the dialogues can be recorded and
listened to later on or wr